Freedom is Found....

"No man is free until he learns to do his own thinking and gains the courage to act on his own personal initiative." Napoleon Hill

[regiadams.com ]

The Use of Assessments in Online Learning Environments

Technology has provided opportunities for online assessment to be more learner-centered to promote self-directed learning, and to increase learner autonomy. Practicing “assessment for learning” can cultivate student ownership, and will impact effort and achievement eventually.

Full article:
http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=9&n=7

[regiadams.com ]

A Christmas Run

…Of Sweat and Will

On Christmas I ran. The Phoenix streets looked hallowed and silent making for a perfect setting for contemplation.

As I made my way through the downtown roads the asphalt under my feet thumped like a metronome. My breath was guided by the rhythm of the beat as the panorama of the world morphed in and out of my awareness.

 The physical exertion reminded me of my humanity, though fragile in nature is made formidable by strength of will. As one mile became two

and two miles became three I thought about the role challenge plays in the cultivation of human will. Without adversity what would serve as the molding force allowing us the ability to harden our resolve?

Adversity takes us to the brink of our abilities, revealing dormant talents. The low thuds began to make their way back into my awareness, as I continued my trek through the beautiful Arizona day.




                                                                                                                           [regiadams.com]

[regiadams.com ]

Change Strategies

I am studying Argyris (1978) strategy of organizational intervention and wonder if the process can be applied to cirmumstances like a mentor working with a mentee? It would be interesting to see if this strategy can help individuals change their behavior by identifying problem areas.

The strategy focuses on understanding the paradigms that people establish their actions upon. Point of note is that not all paradigms we give voice to are the ones we actually align our actions with. The excerpt below outlines the 6 Step intervention strategy.


According to Argyris and Schön (1978: 220-1) involves the ‘interventionist’ in moving through six phases of work:

Phase 1

Mapping the problem as clients see it. This includes the factors and relationships that define the problem, and the relationship with the living systems of the organization.

Phase 2

The internalization of the map by clients. Through inquiry and confrontation the interventionists work with clients to develop a map for which clients can accept responsibility. However, it also needs to be comprehensive.

Phase 3

Test the model. This involves looking at what ‘testable predictions’ can be derived from the map – and looking to practice and history to see if the predictions stand up. If they do not, the map has to be modified.

Phase 4

Invent solutions to the problem and simulate them to explore their possible impact.

Phase 5

Produce the intervention.

Phase 6

Study the impact. This allows for the correction of errors as well as generating knowledge for future designs. If things work well under the conditions specified by the model, then the map is not disconfirmed.

By running through this sequence and attending to key criteria suggested by Model II, it is argued, organizational development is possible. The process entails looking for the maximum participation of clients, minimizing the risks of candid participation, starting where people want to begin (often with instrumental problems), and designing methods so that they value rationality and honesty.

Reference:

Smith, M. K. (2001) 'Chris Argyris: theories of action, double-loop learning and organizational learning', the encyclopedia of informal education, www.infed.org/thinkers/argyris.htm. Last update: September 07, 2009

[regiadams.com ]

Mindful Expression

Embrace the Experience

There is beauty in the engagement, in the struggle, in the essence of the very thing itself. The true rewards are in the pageantry of the thing itself. Victory and defeat are traitors; do not let them rob you of your art.





Excerpt from: A Chinese Kid Named Santiago

[regiadams.com ]

Power of Discipline

DISCIPLINE is Soul of a Business, Family, Army, TEAM. It makes small numbers Formidable, procures Success to Weak, and gives Esteem to All.

-Bill Stewart

[regiadams.com ]

Kindness

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

-Plato

[regiadams.com ]

Power of Belief

If I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning."

-Mahatma Gandhi


You know this quote really struck me as it I think reflects the courage and determination found within people. True belief does not have to be based upon current capacity, but rather one’s capacity to believe in oneself. I can’t help but think of Common’s song The People where the MC states that “No one believed me till I believed me”. I think this statement truly embraces the spirit of Gandhi’s words. Faith in oneself like a magnet will draw people, resources and even talents to one’s aid.

Lack of belief in one’s ability to exercise control over the conditions in one’s life is a paralyzing state. It’s a strange thing to feel overwhelmed as if trying to survive in a land Giants and Monsters. This feeling I think is tied to placing an overemphasis on the “what is” rather than the “what can be”. The “what can be” mindset allows a person to grow into the challenge. Like a bruising running back that seems to get stronger as the opposition intensifies, so to does a person grow more powerful and skillful with each challenge that is overcome.

Belief is what allows for this transformation to occur. The knowledge that one will continue to grow and that a potential solution is just around the corner sets the stage for these things to be recognized when they arrive.

Belief in oneself challenges a person to seek solutions in the midst of bleak situations rather than succumbing to them. It has to be stated that I wish achieving a state of belief was as easy a feat as writing the mere words upon a page, unfortunately it’s not. Personal experience advises that its one of the most difficult things a person can do. It is a task that requires intelligence, fortitude and an ever evolving emotional maturity.

[regiadams.com ]

Love Redefined

Love is not just the sentimental fuzzy emotion that leaves us googly eyed and awe struck. Love is powerful, love is catalytic. Love propels even the most timid spirits to heights of courage ascribed to legends. What is it that you love?

[The Power of People]

Acceptance and the Path of Destiny

The beautiful countenance of purpose and reason embrace the path of

journeymen engaged in the work of constructing life. The pain is that

of birth, the weathering of "be coming's" storm, the clasping of

evolution's coattail; bravely enduring the whirlwind.

 

Excerpt: A Chinese Kid Named Santiago

Stay True

Do what you are.

The slipping of purpose makes moments worthless.

As pieces of self, sink into obscurity.

Maturity is found in the warrior's ways.

Stoke the blaze in one's heart.

Be true to you.

Walk the rhythm found within your chest.

For the best, rests in this sacred space.

Star Spangled

Beautiful thing I'll make you sing in the deepest of night till dawn's early light. For gleam of the chrome had shown bright, from the barrel of the pen friend of the wise and revolutionary alike...

[The Power of People]

The Highest Meditation

The highest meditation is the relationship we build with others. Harmonize with life.

[The Power of People]

Internal Drive

"We can let circumstances rule us or we can take charge and rule our lives from within." Earl Nightingale

[The Power of People]

The Little Things

Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.

- Vincent van Gogh

[The Power of People]

Marathon Man

The pace of excellence is a marathon long in duration yet far reaching in its impact

Keep intact the passion that fuels change

Let not the steady dance of time and circumstance circumvent the good one oft might get

If only one where to commit and remain resolute though out the entirety of the pursuit

For to stand undeterred even when one's doubts are stirred is the key to success…

Transform the self

We see that if there is to be any real change in the world - and there must be a real change - then you and I as individuals will have to transform ourselves. Unless there is a radical change in each one of us, life becomes an endless imitation, ultimately leading to boredom, frustration, and hopelessness.

J. Krishnamurti

Collected Works, Vol. XI - 172

[The Power of People]

The Attitude of Gratitude

The silence was almost piercing in my hotel room. I sat composing this thought in the path of a rapidly approaching dawn. Yet strangely enough, fatigue did not overtake my senses. My thoughts ran wild as I contemplated this and that, mostly however I deliberated upon the topic of gratitude. It amazed me how people with so much against them can still find the strength to push on and conversely for others even the smallest of inconveniences can send their worlds into a tailspin. It is truly a perplexing phenomenon; however, I am not without clues as to why this happens. My most significant clue is the role that gratitude plays in how life's circumstances impact a person's life.

It has often seemed to me to be a bit cliché to think that our mindsets control our prospects. A poetic way to say this inspired by your favorite self-help book (pick one any one) is "what we think the world to be, we will surely see". Over the past few months, I have come to appreciate this viewpoint and I believe that this outlook hinges on the attitude of gratitude. If a person even in the depths of difficulty and trouble can still identify the blessings that are in his or her possession one's mind is allowed to be focused on those blessings. Our strength resides in our blessings, whether they are skills that we have, or a roof over our heads, a supportive family. In creating a better life for ourselves, we can only do that from a position of strength.

Whatever we have to be thankful for we must acknowledge it through gratitude so that we can create a solid foundation from which to stand. The drawbacks of life never disappear we just do not allow them to monopolize our awareness. Our focus is like prime real estate; reserved only for constructive and positive thoughts. Thoughts, which allow us to build the life, we truly desire should be at the forefront of our minds.

[The Power of People]

Dealing With Fear

what the world needs is human beings who are free, who are creative, who have no fear. And most of us are ridden with fear. If you can go profoundly into fear and really understand it, you will come out with innocency, so that your mind is clear. That is what we need, and that is why it is very important to understand how to look at a fact, how to look at your fear. That is the whole problem - not how to get rid of fear, not how to be courageous, not what to do about fear, but to be fully with the fact.

J. Krishnamurti
The Collected Works, Vol. XI - 349

[The Power of People]

Attention and Seriousness

Are you anything in yourself? Strip yourself of your name, title, money, position, your little capacity to write a book and be flattered - and what are you? So why not realize and be that?

You see, we have an image of what it is to be nothing, and we don't like that image; but the actual fact of being nothing, when you have no image, may be entirely different. And it is entirely different. It is not a state that can be realized in terms of being nothing or of being something. It is entirely different when there is no image of yourself.

And to have no image of yourself demands tremendous attention, tremendous seriousness. It is only the attentive, the serious, that live, not the people who have images of themselves.

-Krishnamurti

[The Power of People]

Humanity

Theories & goals of education don't matter a whit if you don't consider your students to be human beings.
-Lou Ann Walker

[The Power of People]

Trying to be something else

The very awareness of what is is a liberative process. So long as we are unaware of what we are and are trying to become something else, so long will there be distortion and pain. The very awareness of what I am brings about transformation and the freedom of understanding.

J. Krishnamurti
The Collected Works, Vol. IV - 75

[The Power of People]

Love What You Are Studying

The what is is what you are, not what you would like to be; it is not the ideal because the ideal is fictitious, but it is actually what you are doing, thinking, and feeling from moment to moment. What is is the actual, and to understand the actual requires awareness, a very alert, swift mind. But if we begin to condemn what is, if we begin to blame or resist it, then we shall not understand its movement. If I want to understand somebody, I cannot condemn him - I must observe, study him. I must love the very thing I am studying.

J Krishnamurti

[The Power of People]

Do the Hard Things

As I have been contemplating the struggles that all of us go through in life, I am reminded of this powerful quote by Albert E. N. Gray:

“The successful person has the habit of doing things failures don’t like to do. They don’t like doing them either necessarily. But their disliking is subordinated to the strength of their purpose.”

-Dr. Stephen Covey

[The Power of People]

Silence is the Real Dance

My dance is all motion without, all silence within. As much as I love to make music, it’s the unheard music that never dies. And silence is my real dance, though it never moves.

-Michael Jackson

[The Power of People]

Constant Vigilance

The legendary swordsman Miyamoto Mushashi often spoke of courage brought about by one's convictions. Living by the courage of one's convictions also includes respecting one's mission and purpose. Lack of fidelity to one's path manifests in weaknesses of will such as apathy and complacency. Perhaps constant vigilance is the only way to address this challenge...

[The Power of People]

Is it possible to look at the problem comprehensively, wholly?

The more we think over a problem, the more we investigate, analyse, and discuss it, the more complex it becomes. So is it possible to look at the problem comprehensively, wholly? How is this possible? Because that, it seems to me, is our major difficulty. Our problems are being multiplied - there is imminent danger of war, there is every kind of disturbance in our relationships - and how can we understand all that comprehensively, as a whole? Obviously, it can be solved only when we can look at it as a whole - not in compartments, not divided. When is that possible? Surely, it is only possible when the process of thinking - which has its source in the 'me', the self, in the background of tradition, of conditioning, of prejudice, of hope, of despair - has come to an end. Can we understand this self, not by analysing, but by seeing the thing as it is, being aware of it as a fact and not as a theory - not seeking to dissolve the self in order to achieve a result but seeing the a
ctivity of the self, the 'me', constantly in action? Can we look at it, without any movement to destroy or to encourage? That is the problem, is it not? If, in each one of us, the centre of the 'me' is non-existent, with its desire for power, position, authority, continuance, self-preservation, surely our problems will come to an end.

-J. Krishnamurti

The First and Last Freedom - 112

[The Power of People]

Midnight Meditations

Meditating upon the fact that maybe the expert label is a bit limiting. This designation is based upon the assumption that one knows, in a definitive unchanging sense. Life is far from this but rather is ever changing. Perhaps it's more empowering to think of oneself as an earnest seeker, constantly evolving and growing. This alignment would entail much less preassure to uphold a shallow image.

[The Power of People]

Walk the Talk

It's been a long week. I find myself faced with the challenge of designing multiple leadership development programs. It's funny how what I am teaching and researching will help me achieve this large task. Doctor heal thyself...

[The Power of People]

Let Go

When things don't seem to go my way, I let go of my idea of how they should be, trusting that I may not be aware of the big picture.

-Deepak Chopra

[The Power of People]

What Does One Know

A man who says 'I know' is the most destructive human being because he really does not know. What does he know? So when you are conscious you are transformed, when you are aware that you are transformed, you are not.

-Krishnamurti
The Collected Works, Vol. VIII - 5

[The Power of People]

What is Experience

Experience nearly always forms a hardened centre in the mind, as the self, which is a deteriorating factor. Most of us are seeking experience. We may be tired of the worldly experiences of fame, notoriety, wealth, sex, and so on, but we all want greater, wider experience of some kind, especially those of us who are attempting to reach a so-called spiritual state. Being tired of worldly things, we want a more extensive, a wider, deeper experience; and to arrive at such an experience, we suppress, we control, we dominate ourselves, hoping thereby to achieve a full realization of God, or what you will. We think the pursuit of experience is the right way of life in order to attain greater vision, and I question whether that is so. Does this search for experience, which is really a demand for greater, fuller sensation, lead to reality? Or is it a factor which cripples the mind?

-Krishnamurti

Jkrishnamurti.org
The Collected Works, Vol. X - 16

[The Power of People]

First Things First

Finished reading Covey's First Things First. What I found interesting is the connection of one's values to one's strategy of time management. Somewhat intuitive, but it is often the simple things that are the most profound.

[The Power of People]

Meditation is Inquiry

As human beings we are all capable of inquiry, of discovery, and this whole process is meditation. Meditation is inquiry into the very being of the meditator. You cannot meditate without self-knowledge, without being aware of the ways of your own mind, from the superficial responses to the most complex subtleties of thought. I am sure it is not really difficult to know, to be aware of oneself, but it is difficult for most of us because we are so afraid to inquire, to grope, to search out. Our fear is not of the unknown, but of letting go of the known. It is only when the mind allows the known to fade away that there is complete freedom from the known, and only then is it possible for the new impulse to come into being.

-Krishnamurti

The Collected Works, Vol. X - 255

[The Power of People]

Presence

Put down your pad and pen and simply be the poem.

-Saul Williams

[The Power of People]

The Courage to Be Intimate

It’s curious what takes courage and what doesn’t. When I step out on stage in front of thousands of people, I don’t feel that I’m being brave. It takes much more courage to express true feelings to one person. When I think of courage, I think of the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz. He was always running away from danger. He often cried and shook with fear. But he was also sharing his real feelings with those he loved, even though he didn’t always like those feelings. That takes real courage, the courage to be intimate. Expressing your feelings is not the same as falling apart in front of someone else, it’s being accepting and true to your own heart, whatever it may say. When you have the courage to be intimate, you know who you are, and you’re willing to let others see that. It’s scary, because you feel so vulnerable, so open to rejection. But without self-acceptance, the other kind of courage, the kind heroes show in movies, seems hollow. In spite of the risks, the courage to be honest and intimate opens the way to self discovery. It offers what we all want, the promise of love.

-Michael Jackson

[The Power of People]

Ceaseless Inquiry

You will have to find out for yourself, and that requires enormous investigation, hard work - much harder work than earning a livelihood, which is mere routine. It requires astonishing vigilance, constant watchfulness, a ceaseless inquiry into every movement of thought. And the moment you begin to inquire into the process of thinking, which is to isolate each thought and think it through to the end, you will see how arduous it is; it is not a lazy man's pleasure. And it is essential to do this because it is only the mind that has emptied itself of all its old recognitions, its old distractions, its conflicts and self-contradictions - it is only such a mind that has the new, the creative impulse of reality. The mind then creates its own action; it brings into being a different activity altogether, without which mere social reform, however necessary, however beneficial, cannot possibly bring about a peaceful and happy world.

-Krishnamurti

The Collected Works, Vol. X - 255

[The Power of People]

Without any desire for reward or fear of punishment

Now, is it possible for the mind to free itself of the observer, of the watcher, of the experiencer, without any motive? Obviously, if there is a motive, that very motive is the essence of the 'me', of the experiencer. Can you forget yourself entirely without any compulsion, without any desire for reward or fear of punishment, just forget yourself? I do not know if you have tried it. Has such a thought even occurred to you, has it ever come to your mind? And when such a thought does arise, you immediately say, 'If I forget myself, how can I live in this world where everybody is struggling to push me aside and get ahead?' To have a right answer to that question you must first know how to live without the 'me', without the experiencer, without the self-centred activity, which is the creator of sorrow, the very essence of confusion and misery. So is it possible, while living in this world with all its complex relationships, with all its travail, to abandon oneself completely and
be free of the things which go to make up the 'me'?

-Krishnamurti

The Collected Works, Vol. X - 254

[The Power of People]

Beyond the Chart and Graph

As we embark on our paths seeking excellence in our chosen crafts may we be aware of the bigger picture. I read a quote by Albert Einstein in Jim Tressel's book " The Winners Manual" that has really challenged my thinking.

"Concern for man and his fate must form the chief interest of all technical endeavours...Never forget that in the midst of your diagrams and equations".

In the midst of lectures, daily routines and conjecture I strive to keep this insight a foundation of my outlook. Though flawed and incomplete, one's attempts to realize this end is met with generous dividend. The value is in the struggle.

[The Power of People]

Fearlessness

The more you are willing to experience
all that life brings- facing it without
running, blaming or avoiding in any way,the more fearless and free you become.

-Yogi Says

[The Power of People]

Be Your Own Light

But what is necessary, surely, is to find out whether the mind that is the result of the past, the mind that is confused, disturbed, groping, seeking - whether such a mind can learn without turning to a guru, whether it can undertake the journey on which there is no guide. Because it is possible to go on this journey only when there is the light which comes through the understanding of yourself, and that light cannot be given to you by another; no Master, no guru can give it to you, nor will you find it in the Gita or in any other book. You have to find that light within yourself, which means that you must inquire into yourself, and this inquiry is hard work. No one can lead you, no one can teach you how to inquire into yourself. One can poi
nt out that such inquiry is essential, but the actual process of inquiring must begin with your own self-observation.

-Krishnamurti
The Collected Works, Vol. X - 254

[The Power of People]

Football and Emotions

Watching the Arizona Cardinals and Steelers pre-season game I admired the steadfastness of the star players. These athletes never appeared to be rattled, facing challenging circumstances with poise. What is the source of this attribute? I think perhaps emotional intelligence plays a substantial role. Does a star athlete interprete emotional cues differently than the mediocre?

[The Power of People]

Liberating

One should always question the status quo seeking to define knowledge for oneself, rather than blindly enslaving oneself to the interpretations of others" (Adams, 2007, pg. 7). If education is to be, truly liberating one must cultivate the ability to think for oneself. The post-modern paradigm urges scholars to think outside of one's perceived way or discipline and embrace strategies from a multitude of sources. As no one, holds a monopoly on the truth one's actions should offer no such confirmation of this assumptions validity.

Reference:

Adams, R. (2007). Social Contexts and Contemporary Issues. Paper

Mind It

I was driving home from my morning workout and for some reason a concept of Ayn Rand's popped into my mind. It was her belief that the human mind and the ability to think is what seperates us from every other creation.

Essentially if a person does not use their mind they are turning their backs on their gift. In a sense such a person embraces death as it is the mind that has allowed humankind to survive.

Some heavy stuff for early in the morning but it made me contemplatve the rest of the day...

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Questions

Does a person have a moral obligation to be themselves? Does authenticity even matter?

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Krishnamurti on Self-exploration

Not according to any idea, pattern, or teacher

We do not see the importance, the significance, of exploring ourselves directly, not according to any idea, pattern, or teacher. The necessity of understanding ourselves is perceived only when we see that without self-knowledge there can be no basis for thought, for action, for feeling; but self-knowledge is not the outcome of the desire to achieve an end.

If we begin to inquire into the process of self-knowledge through fear, through resistance, through authority, or with the desire to gain a result, we shall have what we desire, but it will not be the understanding of the self and the ways of the self.

You may place the self at any level, calling it the higher self or the lower self, but it is still the process of thinking; and if the thinker is not understood, obviously his thinking is a process of escape.

The Collected Works, Vol. VI - 206

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

human behavior

I have been researching human persistence and the achievement of goals. The largest indicator of a person's ability to do this is his or her mental models.

What internal framework of rules and regulations governs the person's behavior? Paradigms and ethical models are the bricks and mortar of this behavior programming. Understand this and one can understand large portions of human behavior.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Get It

It's not so much a matter of what you need, but rather do you maximize what you already have?

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

What is Man?

What is man?

Man is that force which ultimately cancels all tyrants and gods. He is the force of evidence.

-Albert Camus

A Passing Thought: A Need for Ethics?

Without ethics, life may look very much like Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan, "nasty, short and brutish" (The Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, 2009). Ethics serve as the framework for which behaviors are based. Ethics could perhaps be defined as a habit or disposition-guiding humankind's actions (Beckner, 2004). This framework allows for the collaboration and the functioning of societies as a whole. Without an ethical platform from which actions and behaviors can be coordinated a virtual "war against all" (The Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, 2009) may ensue. No mechanism would exist to regulate interpersonal misunderstandings and human engagement.

The unseen benefit of not having a binding ethos from which societies operate is that it would allow for unbridled creativity and divergent viewpoints to emerge. Viewpoints, which are often suppressed, as they do not conform to the prevailing modes of thought. Where do you stand on the issue?

 

Reference:

Beckner, W. (2004). Ethics for educational leaders. New York: Allyn & Bacon.

The Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes( 2009). Retrieved July 12, 2009 from http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/hobbes/leviathan-contents.html

 

Adversity

Face adversity promptly and without flinching, and you will reduce its impact. Never run from anything and never ever quit.

-Winston Churchill

Power of the Pen…

With the swiftness of blades slashing through like wintery winds, the pen caresses the page and wages war against non-existence.

It will be more.

The shore of destiny's dream can be found between the margins and the seam.

A slow stream of consciousness can turn imagination into a torrential downpour.

Even more, it ignites the minds of those beat down by time, chance and unfavorable circumstance.

The pen can bend conditions to suit one's need or greed.

Whatever reality one wishes to feed.

Mills End

Spent a few hours at Mills End coffee shop, my usual spot was a bit crowded. This Saturday is a beautiful one. As I gazed out the large, glass windows a world of human activity was underway. People coming and going on the light rails, families were strolling down the street enjoying the day in sun. The town of Tempe was almost festive in its vibe. The passing of life's moments engaged in the act of living how perfect that was, life un-conceptualized, unbounded by ideas of what it is supposed to be. Life was just life, expressing itself through the activity of its being. Perhaps there exists a degree of wisdom in this.

The Strength of One’s Convictions

It is 10:51 on a beautiful Phoenix night. I sat on my patio thinking about a book I read entitled the Five Rings; this book was written by the legendary Samurai Miyamoto Musashi. A passage stood out to me from this warrior's treatise, which emphasized the importance of living by the strength of one's convictions. "The strengths of one's convictions", these words resonated continuously with me as I pondered their importance. I contemplated the meaning of conviction and it settled upon me that this concept essentially forms the guidelines by which one lives his or her life.

Taken to a deeper level, one's convictions influence the manner in which one views the world. The perception one has of life and reality is guided by the governing rules of one's conviction. Paradigms are molded by conviction. If one were to change their convictions, one will in essence change their paradigms. Questions worth noting are how does one come to adopt certain convictions and not others as well as what mechanisms reinforce deeply held conviction. I crave ice cream so as I indulge my sweet tooth I will contemplate these remaining questions on another night…

The Power of Conviction

Today was a busy day, comprised of interviews and prepping for upcoming leadership development programs. A thought that I could not help but contemplate through the day was that leadership is based significantly on the willingness of a person to live by the strength of one's convictions. Paying mere lip service to this reality is entirely different from living its precepts. The mettle required to tie one's success in life to one's fortitude of will appears to be substantial, however not an impossible goal. Now the question is how does one go about getting this done?

Cultivating Resilience
Challenging curriculum and educational strategies nurture the seed of resilience within learners. Cultivating environments which require learners to think in critical ways provides them a solid foundation from which to address life’s challenges. Problem based learning (PBL) is a powerful tool in an educator’s arsenal.

Excerpt from: The Power of We

You have not ended your sorrow, and you want to find enlightenment.

You can sit in the right posture with your back straight, breathing correctly, do pranayama and all the rest of it for the next ten thousand years, and you will be nowhere near perceiving what truth is, because you have not understood yourself at all, the way you think, the way you live. You have not ended your sorrow, and you want to find enlightenment. You can do all kinds of twists and turns with your body and this seems to fascinate people, because they feel it is going to give some power, some prestige. Now, all these powers are like candles in the sun; they are like candle light when the brilliant sun is shining.

Krishnamurti in India 1970-71 - 55

The Brink of Knowledge and Learning

Tranquil cords drip endlessly from fingertips caressing passionate strings of heartfelt sentiments, condiments of the soul. Foretold moments of majesty between valleys of melancholy, it is folly to believe that an escape lies in wait. For more is in store beyond what we might call the brink sink not into an endless abyss, but link to all that exists in time. Sublime destinies are one in the same, one in the vein. Beyond perception's veil, she sets sail upon the stream of intuition and feeling, struggling to understand this thing called life. She reveres its majesty yet she knows she is more…beyond the shore of infinity's embrace; she sets pace with the pristine and the timeless….

Can one not exist with the other?...

Can one find peace in the midst of discomfort? Is it possible to find a state of joy in the center of pain? Does the presence of one mean the nullification of the other? The mature mind may be the one which views the two realities as coexistant and embracing them both as such.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

To understand one habit is to open the door to understanding the whole machinery of habit

So, I must first understand the futility of resistance or effort in breaking a habit. If that is clear, what happens? I become aware of the habit - fully aware of it. If I smoke, I observe myself doing it. I am aware of putting my hand in my pocket, bringing out the cigarettes, drawing one from the package, tapping it on my thumbnail or other hard surface, putting it in my mouth, lighting it, extinguishing the match, and puffing. I am aware of every movement, of every gesture, without condemning or justifying the habit, without saying it is right or wrong, without thinking, 'How dreadful, I must be free of it,' and so on.

I am aware without choice, step by step, as I smoke. You try it next time, that is, if you want to break the habit. And in understanding and breaking one habit, however superficial, you can go into the whole enormous problem of habit: habit of thought, habit of feeling, the habit of imitation - and the habit of hungering to be something, for this too is a ha bit. When you fight a habit, you give life to that habit, and then the fighting becomes another habit, in which most of us are caught.

We only know resistance, which has become a habit. All our thinking is habitual, but to understand one habit is to open the door to understanding the whole machinery of habit. You find out where habit is necessary, as in speech, and where habit is completely corruptive.

Krishnamurti Collected Works, Vol. XIII - 204

The Germ of Defeat

The mature mind knows that the germ of defeat lies in every selfish thought.

-Charles Haanel

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Train the mind by training the body

It is midnight I am still up……

My body still aches from the jog I went on previously in the day. As I ran, my mind thought about the conditioning regiments athletes put themselves through. These regimens are often discussed as not only a conditioning of the body but of the mind as well. The fact that rigorous training builds mental toughness is almost axiomatic in the sports realm. The ancient Samurai Musashi identified that the reason warriors are fierce is because their training is fierce.

In the education realm, we would call this "toughness", persistence. Persistence is a person's ability to identify and see a task through to its completion. Many factors come into play when identifying people with high levels of persistence. One major factor contributing to persistence is an individual's level of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is one's perceived ability to control the direction their lives take. A person with a high level of efficacy will persist longer through adversity than someone with a low level of efficacy. Physical training can help to increase a person's perceived level of self-efficacy as people gain much of their perceptions about efficacy through the interpretation of physical stimuli. Training one's ability to manage, control and interpret physical stimuli through exercise will in turn influence one's ability to enhance perceived levels of agency.

Old Habits

Old behavior patterns die hard. Best to redefine how you engage life's situations through the adjustment of your mindset. Assess the perspective you have about your histoy. Also assess the traditions you hold dear and the symbolism you integrate into your life. Are these things in line with your desired path? All three elements will help you transform your circumstance.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

A State of Mind

I sat in contemplation today thinking about the role mindset plays in how we interact with the world.

A mindset of ownership and responsibility will yield different behaviors, than a mindset of one trying to get by in a world created by others.

Change the mindset and you change the behavior. The trick is that all of your habits and routines must reflect the new state of mind. Habits are the indicators and reinforcers of our current internal condition.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Emotional resilience is a necessary component of success. Emotional resiliency allows one to learn from mistakes and adjust the approach. It is an overriding belief in success that turns obstructions in the road, into building blocks to future success. A true leader is well aware of the fact that the difficult in not synonymous with the impossible.

Excerpt from: Way of the E-lightened Mind

When you are aware that you are transformed, you are not.

A man who says, 'I know' is the most destructive human being because he really does not know. What does he know? So, when you are conscious you are transformed, when you are aware that you are transformed, you are not.
-Krishnamurti, Collected Works, Vol. VIII - 5

Microphone Check….

On a napkin she entices life into rhythmic forms and swarms of conceptualized feeling.

The ceiling, of which she has yet to find, intertwined within the fibers of dead trees bleed emotion.

Oceans of each would not even capture a blink of the most high so with the passion of many she fruitlessly tries to reflect but a piece of what will never cease not even within the immensity of time.

She sits at the bar contemplating coffee creations and whatever else happens to come to mind.

She primes the mind on instrumental renditions of hip hop greats and so she strives to capture infinity in just one take.

For the sake of art and for art's sake, she captures the moment with a taste of sweet words.

Dig it…

Because I feel what is what.

And I do what is and what.

Could I see that reality is only what I perceive it to be?

In the pitter of pattered beats I run towards ecstasy towards dreams towards me.

"Resistance is Futile"

In overcoming resistance to change the first strategy perhaps is to adjust one's perception of the phenomenon of resistance (Piderit, 2000). Currently resistance is viewed as something that must be overcome in many academic texts. This perception tends to take a pro-management slant, offering little balance to the investigation of this phenomenon. Addressing resistance in a manner reflective of balance can lead to more inclusive and accurate perceptions of the situation. This balance is crucial to finding an appropriate response to resistance, as the mental models or perceptions we hold, influence the quality of the decisions we make (Senge, 1992).

A second strategy in which resistance can be addressed is to create a sense of urgency within the organization. If a sense of urgency is created within the institution, the drive to find an appropriate response is enhanced. Participants in the process would welcome an agreed-upon decision.

A third strategy in addressing resistance is to create a guiding coalition comprised of employees from varied backgrounds. This practice creates a sense of shared responsibility, destiny and vested interest across the entirety of the organization. The cohesion fosters the strong foundations of collective action.

References:

Piderit, S. K. (2000, October). Rethinking resistance and recognizing ambivalence: A multidimensional view of attitudes toward an organizational change. Academy of Management Review, 25(4), 783.

Senge, P. M. (1992, March/April). Mental models. Planning Review, 20(2), 4-11.

Phenomena of Culture

Implications

The opportunity to reflect over the past few weeks has allowed me to evaluate the phenomena of culture. The comprising elements of artifacts, values and assumptions allow a person to understand this ephemeral concept in much greater depth. Managing the process of change would appear to be in large part a process of managing culture. The aforementioned components of culture should be points of focus when creating a shift within an organization. I have found knowledge of these concepts to be useful as it would allow a leader to influence cultural shifts within institutions. Often times one might espouse the fact that a cultural shift is desired, but the strategic steps to get there are not apparent. Without knowledge of cultural transformation one's efforts might even work against one's overall desired ends.

Conclusions

As a leader within institution of higher learning this knowledge will allow me to pay more attention to cultural considerations. By understanding the specific components of culture and having a framework through which to view this phenomenon; I will be able to more effectively navigate institutional change processes.

e-lightened Insight: Components of Change

Implication

The components of change I have learned to view in a much deeper manner. The monolithic impression I once held of change is giving way to a nuanced impression of the concept. Three types of change are now a part of my conceptual vocabulary; developmental, transitional and change (Anderson, & Anderson, 2001). The value which I have found in these concepts resides in the manner in which I can approach my work. Understanding the demands each change type would require of its participants will provide me with a detailed blueprint on how to support them in an effective manner. Another point that I've come to realize through the first two weeks of this class is that as a leader it's not only important to understand external drivers of change but it is equally important to understand the internal aspects of change to effectively navigate an organization through times of transition a leader must have an accurate measure of all elements involved both objective and subjective.

An important skill set for a leader navigating an institution through times of change is the ability to understand how culture must be responsive to the process of change on a deeper level it is important for a leader to understand what unique characteristics or type of culture must be present in order for a given external challenge to be addressed in an effective manner. For example if an organization is going through a change that requires an entirely different perspective to be maintained within the institution a leader in such an environment would need to understand what cultural elements are conducive for such a transition to be maintained. A leader in such a scenario might decide that a shift is needed within the organization to effectively cultivate a new perspective.

 

Conclusion

The important lesson I learned from the previous two weeks is that change is holistic; an effective leader understands the complexity of change. The readings over the past few weeks have challenged me to understand the nuances of the change phenomena. As a leader I have also been challenged to not settle for simplistic models and perspectives in relation to effectively addressing change. My evolution will encompass a balanced outlook and approach to addressing shifting contingency.

 

Reference:

Anderson, D., & Anderson, A. L. (2001). Beyond change management. San Francisco: Jossey-

Bass/Pfeiffer

 

The Role of Risk in Learning (e-lightened mix)

Moment of e-lightenment: Importance of Understanding Change

Over the past few weeks I have had the opportunity to reflect upon change and its various dimensions. Something I have realized is that change is not a monolithic occurrence comprised of uniform components. There are many nuances and paradigms existent within the concept. Cultivating a deeper understanding of this reality would allow leaders in any filed to operate with a greater level of prudence. Decisions are based upon an evaluation of what one perceives to be a given reality. Inaccurate evaluations of reality lead to ineffective strategies. The quality of one's actions as a leader would appear to be dependent upon the quality of his or her perception. On an organizational level, change is something which must be dealt with on a consistent basis. Leaders gaining a deeper insight into change from a conceptual standpoint would help their organizations navigate the tumultuous waters of contingency.

A Moment of Contemplation: Rules of Persistence

What are principles of persisting through challenges? What are the thought processes that occur? Can this be trained? Difficult times are often when new stages of development emerge.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Chronicle of Higher Education

James R. Zanewicz: Marketing Academic Inventions in a Tough Market

With the economy on the ropes, moving academic inventions from the lab to the marketplace is increasingly important — and increasingly challenging. James R. Zanewicz, director of the Office of Technology Transfer at the University of Louisville, says universities need to be more flexible in the deals they negotiate and more realistic about the money they expect to earn.

[Audio]

A Subtle Thought

"Me We"
-Ali

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Pon the Stone (The Silent Mix)

Reading from the book: A Chinese Kid Named Santiago

True Learning Comes Through Experience

A careful analysis of the teacher-student relationship at any level inside or outside the school, reveals its fundamentally narrative character This relationship involves a narrating Subject (the teacher) and patient, listening objects (the students). The contents, whether values or empirical dimensions of reality, tend in the process of being narrated to become lifeless and petrified. Education is suffering from narration sickness.
The teacher talks about reality as if it were motionless, static, compartmentalized, and predictable. Or else he expounds on a topic completely alien to the existential experience of the students. His task is to “fill” the students with the contents of his narration — contents which are detached from reality, disconnected from the totality that engendered them and could give them significance. Words are emptied of their concreteness and become a hollow, alienated, and alienating verbosity.-Paulo Freire

Esclavitude

"What am I feeling" he thought. The precession of the day's activities rushes forward like a river busting forth from a damn. He fears that his goal should slip through his fingers like sands upon a desert landscape. The lack of profound thoughts caused a slight fearful stir to emerge within his core. For at this very moment in the silence of night and nature, he did not feel extraordinary. No thoughts of significance called aloud in defiance. Only the creeping caress of normality embraced him that night.

"The path of heroes is tough" the man thought. "For the endurance required maybe outside of my capacity to give". The man paused after this solitary thought echoed about through his mind. Looking out into the distance the man contemplated the meaning of valor and what it must feel like to dive headlong into Glory. "To gladly give all of myself unselfishly to the service of others without a second glance must be an experience to savor". The man had a secret so deep that he was barely cognizant of its presence, and that secret is to rid his mind of fear….

A fear of life, a fear of death, fear of success, fear of failure, fear of himself , a fear of others, a fear of being trapped within the company of the crowd, a fear to be alone, a fear to be normal, a fear to be great……

As the litany continued a sense of fatigue pricked the man's mind with a disturbing familiarity this feeling he knew all too well. From within the haze of thought and contemplation an insight rang aloud….the clarity was pristine ….

"Fear enslaves"…...

The expression of research in the language of identified behaviors

This week has offered me a chance to reflect upon quantitative and qualitative methods and how using a variety of statistical tests can provide a researcher with a holistic view of studied phenomena. An area of growth for me proved to be the interpretation of statistical data into the language of human behaviour and practice. When one uses research to guide operational improvement findings will be of little use if they cannot be made relevant to the actual behaviours inherent in a given discipline. I found that bridging the gap between statistical understanding and the articulation of recommendations to be a distinct skill set unto itself.

Leaders within organizations would benefit by understanding that improving performance through research must be backed by the ability to articulate specific, measurable behaviours. It is not enough to merely comprehend areas of opportunity, but one must be able pull this comprehension into the realm of human experience, allowing it to transform the organization.

In engaging in my own work I must remain vigilant in identifying practical ways that improvement can be attained. In ensuring that I do not become lost in a haze of data and conjecture, a prudent practice would be to filter potential plans of action through the lens of actual practice. Much as the grounded theorist establishes constructed theory upon actuality, I will establish recommended actions upon specific behaviours.

Using behaviour or performance based outcomes to express the intent of statistical findings allows organizations to take advantage of research efforts. For determined strategies and plans to be effective it must filter through the multiple layers of the organization. They best way to do this is to distil research findings into the palatable format of lived experience.

 
 

Importance of Validity in Intellectual Inquiry

Throughout this academic journey I have been challenged to view research presented in journals with a more discerning eye. Two things which I look for in much greater depth is the systematic approach of the data collection process and the strategies used to ensure personal bias is not introduced into the research findings. These elements are crucially important as they influence the internal validity of one's study. The goal of research in many instances is to draw an inference about the world through the investigation of a smaller piece. If factors which detract away from validity are not minimized the ability to draw insight from one's research efforts will be precluded. Neuman (2003) is of the sentiment that through effective research and maintaining a diversity of perspectives, research techniques will advance knowledge of the social world, I concur with this position.

 

Reference:

Neuman, W.L. (2003). Social research methods (5^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

 
 

You educate through example. You educate by your life...what you are.

Myles Horton Audio

Self-Knowledge

Right thinking comes with self-knowledge. Without understanding yourself, you have no basis for thought; without self-knowledge what you think is not true. You and the world are not two different entities with separate problems; you and the world are one. Your problem is the world's problem. You may be the result of certain tendencies, of environmental influences, but you are not different fundamentally from another. Inwardly we are very much alike; we are all driven by greed, ill will, fear, ambition, and so on. Our beliefs, hopes, aspirations have a common basis.

We are one; we are one humanity, though the artificial frontiers of economics and politics and prejudice divide us. If you kill another, you are destroying yourself. You are the center of the whole, and without understanding yourself you cannot understand reality. We have an intellectual knowledge of this unity but we keep knowledge and feeling in different compartments and hence we never experience the extraordinary unity of man.
-Krishnamurti

Remain Resolute

The ability to remain focused, upbeat and resolute amidst the turbulence of disappointment and challenge is a necessary skill which one who strives to succeed must obtain. It is important to not let disappointment in one’s life turn into an indictment of one’s efforts and cherished goals. “An individual’s ability to carry on in the face of calamitous adversity showcases critical leadership traits, including perseverance, self containment amidst difficult circumstances, courage, perspective, and an ability to focus on the needs of others rather than oneself. Individuals who have mastered such challenges in their own lives are more apt to be viewed as leaders able to serve others” ( Strock,2001,pg.93).

-Regi Adams

excerpt from:Way of the e-lightened Mind.

The Role of Encouragement in Education

Listening to the pulsing waves of melodic transmissions emanating over my head phones I sat down to ponder the importance of encouragement in the educational process. The role of positive reinforcement is sometimes overlooked as perhaps it is often viewed as a frivolous activity of appeasement. Yet such a notion could not be further from the truth. Education is an activity which challenges learners to expand into unknown territories. An undertaking such as this requires the fortitude to assume risk. Risk to one's ego and perceptions of agency. Positive reinforcement and encouragement helps learners mitigate the intensity of the unknown. Encouragement allows learners to cultivate a belief in their ability to withstand potential failure, thus nurturing a greater willingness to assume risk. It is only through assuming risk that we truly learn.

The Power to Inspire

Nine tenths of education is encouragement.

-Anatole France

Characteristics of Adult Learning

Social Cognitive Theory

Social Cognitive Theory is the overarching theoretical framework of the self-efficacy construct (Bandura, 1986). Within this perspective, one's behavior is constantly under reciprocal influence from cognitive (and other personal factors such as motivation) and environmental influences. Bandura calls this three-way interaction of behavior, cognitive factors, and environmental situations the "triadic reciprocality." Applied to an instructional design perspective, students' academic performances (behavioral factors) are influenced by how learners themselves are affected (cognitive factors) by instructional strategies (environmental factors), which in turn builds on itself in cyclical fashion.

The methods for changing students' percepts of efficacy, according to Bandura (1977, 1986), are categorically subsumed under four sources of efficacy information that interact with human nature: (1) enactive attainment, (2) vicarious experience, (3) persuasory information, and (4) and physiological state.

Source: http://www.positivepractices.com/

Research Notes:The Seeking Process of Self-Directed Learning

Mathie (1993) active learning strategies:

1. Provide overview of goals
2. Set expectations
3. Empower student to make choices
4. Environment that stresses rapport

The Teachable Moment

Moments of uncertainty and new challenges are managed through the discipline of routines. Routines anchor excursions into the unknown, allowing for untapped potential to be realized. Develop the tools to be ready for the moment.

Strength to Love 1963

Like an unchecked cancer, hate corrodes the personality and eats away its vital unity. Hate destroys a man's sense of values and his objectivity. It causes him to describe the beautiful as ugly and the ugly as beautiful, and to confuse the true with the false and the false with the true. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Power of Vision

Where there is no vision, the people perish; where there is no framework of moral reasoning, the people close ranks in a war against all. -Cornel West

Possibility’s Reality

The curse of indecision in a world of wisp and cloud, aloud one proclaims the desire to be. See the possibility, rather than the cold disappointment of limitation. Resuscitation of childhood dreams seems to be the remedy for the soul. The key to life is held within the focus and discipline of spiritual mettle. One must not settle for the quick and convenient, for neither can deliver the providence of the "as yet" and the ''not yet'' born.
-Regi Adams
excerpt from: A Chinese Kid Named Santiago

Catch a Fire

"Passion is not friendly. It is arrogant superbly contemptuous of all that is not itself, and , as the very definition of passion implies the impulse to freedom, it has a mighty intimidating power. It contains a challenge. It contains an unspeakable hope". -James Baldwin

....the Small Stuff

The world perishes not from bandits and fires, but from hatred, hostility, and all these petty squabbles.
-Anton Chekhov

Can't Stop, Won't Stop...

Tread the path of persistence with a faithful heart and a patient spirit. Endure the tumultuous waves of adversity as the reed endures the tide of the tempest. All things are revealed in their due time. The nature of the struggle is to be embraced and the essence of the moment to be cherished. Do not surrender the pleasures of your art to anxiety and worry.
-Regi Adams

Excerpt from: Way of the E-lightened Mind, Book of Success

As a Man Thinketh

When you control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his "proper place" and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary.
-Dr. Carter G. Woodson

Life long Learning

There is no end to education. It is not that you read a book, pass an examination, and finish with education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die, is a process of learning.
-Jiddu Krishnamurti

Emotion, Learning and the Online Learning Environment

"In spite of evidence that more and more students are engaging in online learning experiences (Alan & Seaman, 2006), clarity about the transition to a new learning environment is still at arm’s length (Cleveland-Innes, Garrison & Kinsel, 2006). In addition, the impact of the emotion created by dealing with this new environment on learning is virtually (pun intended) undiscovered. In this session, Dr. Marti Cleveland-Innes and Zehra Akyol will review theory and data regarding emotion in online environments, with opportunity for discussion of the effect of emotion on teaching, learning and instructional design. In addition, this presentation corresponds with the launch of a web-site to support continued discussion and research on emotion and online learning. The web-site will be introduced at the end of the session"(Canadian Institute of Distance Education Research,2008)

View Session Here

Knowledge to Wisdom Part I

The need to rethink educational strategies and pedagogy is perhaps at the most critical stage observed in U.S history. The record drop out rates in our school systems and the wide spread underdevelopment of our students are ominous signals of turbulent times ahead. The jewel of society rests squarely in the bosom of its intellectual institutions. The strength of a society's ideas and its passion for learning are foundations on which thriving and sustainable communities are built. To nurture the mind, in a desire to develop a deep understanding of the world around us, has often been relegated to an inferior status within the hierarchy of our society's considerations. It is rarely acknowledged that intellectual wherewithal is what makes all other considerations achievable goals.

I would like to illustrate this point with an analogy. The grand structure of a tree starts but from a modest seed, one would rarely see the logic in this were it not for the commonality of such an occurrence. The same principle can be seen in the existence of a bustling society, knowledge and learning are the seeds by which all else grows. The germination process occurs and the seed of knowledge sprouts roots which can be likened to wisdom. These roots act to stabilize that society in the midst of challenge, turmoil, etc. As is the case in nature, the life that the seed has introduced into the world must continually be nurtured in order for it to live and grow. Without the continual nurturance of the tree by the environment, the tree would surely perish no matter how magnificent the tree might be in stature.

It is my belief that life long learning and education are the means through which societies can maintain their vitality and heath. The underlining goal of education should be to transform the mere accumulation of facts, digits and data into meaningful understandings and enlightened perceptions. The contextualization of learned information into the larger perspective of the world and responsibility helps to nurture this process.